The words "lynch in Ramallah" are traumatic for a reason – they bring us back to the days of October 2000, the beginning of the Second Intifada, when two IDF reservists, Yossi Avrahami and Vadim Nurzhitz, were horrifically murdered by a frenzied Palestinian mob in the city.
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A little over 20 years have passed since that heinous incident, and on Wednesday night we almost witnessed history repeat itself after two Israeli were rescued by the skin of their teeth from a similarly crazed mob in Ramallah.
The sense of déjà vu is unavoidable, as is the inclination to link Wednesday's incident to the events surrounding Operation Guardian of the Walls in Gaza just a few months ago, during which we saw several lynching attempts in Israeli cities, particularly Lod and Acre. In Wednesday's incident, meanwhile, we can find signs of both hope and gloom.
The hope stems from the fact that Palestinian security forces rescued the two Israelis. Don't think for a moment this was motivated by a sense of "neighborly love." The Palestinians haven't forgotten the chaos brought upon them by the Second Intifada.
Ramallah also knows the price of chaos
The Palestinian security forces are well aware that chaos on the ground will collapse the Palestinian Authority and open the door to Hamas – which from their perspective is worse than disastrous. Twenty years ago, the Palestinians chose not rescue Israeli border policeman Madhat Yousef, and the IDF's hesitation also led to his death.
The situation today appears to be different, indicating a clear preference for cooperation that largely stems from being deterred – not just by the IDF, but by the fear that Hamas will exploit any hint of instability to seize control of parts of Judea and Samaria.
Alongside this sign of hope, as stated, is also gloom. Two Israelis run into a crazed mob imbued with seething hatred and completely devoid of humanity. What was the sin of the two Israelis who found themselves in that situation? That they were driving around Area A heaven forbid? Does that justify such a pogrom? And what memories does it actually rekindle?
Despite relief: Seething hatred
The seething hatred that emanated from the incited Palestinian mob on the streets of Ramallah is identical to the enraged Arab mobs we saw on the streets of Lod, Acre, and elsewhere. The hatred and antisemitism have reached an alarming level. There is no value to human life – this is what the mob conveyed. And it aptly reflects the undercurrents in Palestinian society, which for the past 15 years has received economic relief and cooperation from Israel.
The chaos that raged through Judea and Samaria during the Second Intifada is gone, the streets of Ramallah are prospering – yet this matters not to the incited mob – which has apparently already forgotten what happens when the State of Israel decides to take the gloves off.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas hasn't forgotten, nor has the suit and tie-wearing cohort surrounding him. Their fear of being flung from rooftops and being slaughtered by Hamas – as their associates were in Gaza after the last democratic election held by the PA in 2006 – fills them with dread. And they will do all in their power, absolutely everything, for those events not to repeat themselves.
But there's a problem. Can the shaky PA government sufficiently contend with the masses? Can this rickety entity – which to a large extent is kept afloat by the IDF – cope with those undercurrents roused by Hamas? In recent weeks, to be sure, we have witnessed more than a few incidents on the ground, cheered on by Hezbollah as well, which is trying to flood the country with guns – and of course by Iran.
The hatred on the Palestinian street, therefore, can certainly be a sign of things to come, such that Judea and Samaria could erupt sooner rather than later. Israel, in recent years, has focused on fighting wars in the north and south. The recent cluster of events in Judea and Samaria, however, alongside the incidents during Operation Guardian of the Walls, are a clear indication: We must also be ready for a broad escalation in which the IDF will have to fight on three or maybe even four fronts simultaneously. This requires the right amount of troops, capabilities, and mainly readiness. The signal is clear, and the question is whether it will be translated correctly on the operative and strategic levels.
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